Carbon holding and retracting device for duplicating machines



Oct. 4, 1938. J, E, EUTH 2,132,068

CARBON nowme AND RETRACTING DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed May 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 %,m WMM Oct. 4, 1938. J, E. EUTH CARBON HOLDING AND RETRACTIN-G DEVICE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed May 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illlllllllllllllllflllllll as @zwwz; WMQW Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs John E. Euth, Chicago, 111., assignor to United Autographic Register nois Application May 1'7,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an attachment for a duplicating machine for retracting the carbon or transfer slip from an advanced to a succeeding set of forms. 7

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and easily operable attachment 7 which may be mounted on the platen carriage of a typewriter and adapt the machine to fill in forms on continuous-form stationery.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a typewriting machine equipped with the attachment; Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 4, showing the carbon in retracted position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the carbon in an advanced position prior to it being retracted; Fig. 4, a front elevational view of the device with an associated platen roll; and Fig. 5, a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the supply roll gripping device and mechanism for retracting the carbon strip.

In the embodiment illustrated, A designates a typewriter having a shiftable carriage A equipped with a platen roll A and B, an improved typewriter attachment for storing and retracting a carbon strip.

The typewriter A may be of the standard construction well-known in the art and has a shiftable platen carriage A in which a platen roll A is rotatably mounted. The typewriter is equipped with the usual presser mechanism, not shown, and a hand operable lever 6 for throwing off the presser mechanism so that the stationery may be'withdrawn by hand.

The attachment B comprises a frame secured (30., a corporation of Illi- 1937, Serial No. 143,180

in the side members 8. The ends of the side members 8 extend upwardly above the guide rolls and form lateral guides for the record strip H which. is led over the guide rollers l and II. The original copy strip 18 is threaded through the lower part of the attachment and over the guide plate l9 provided on the platen of the typewriter. A carbon supply roll 20 is mounted on a supporting shaft 2| which may be introduced into its position in the frame through forwardly and downwardly extending slots 22. One end of the shaft 2| is threaded to receive a finger operated clamping nut 23 whereby the roll 20 may be releasably clamped against rotation to prevent a carbon strip 24 from being unreeled. The opposite end of the shaft is provided with a knob 25 for rewinding the carbon strip on the roll, as will be described below.

The carbon strip, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is led up over the guide roller ll, beneath the retracting roller l4, over the guide roller ID to the platen in interleaved relation with the stationery strips H and I8. Usually the stationery strips are provided with printed forms that are separated by lines of weakening 26 and pairs of register perforations 2'! which may be utilized for filing purposes.

In order to depress the roller M, a rock shaft 28 is journalled in the side members 8 and is provided at its ends with rigidly connected arms 29 which are slotted, as indicated at 30. to make lost motionconnections with the ends of the crossrod l5. One of the arms ,29 is provided with a finger piece 3| to facilitate its operation. A torsion spring 32 is secured to the shaft 28 and one side member 8, and urges the arms 29 into their uppermost position.

Operation to the platen carriage by means of forwardly ex tending arms I, and has a pair of upwardly extending slotted side members 8 in which are journalled the various guide rolls and carbon supply roll.

In the embodiment illustrated, the attachment is adapted to supply carbon for but one record copy but additional mechanisms, operating on,

the same principle, might be provided, if desired, so'that more than two strips of stationery might be used. The frame has a transversely extending cross-bar 9 which holds the side members in spaced relation. A pair of guide rollers l0 and H are journalled on cross-bars I2 and I3, respectively, in the top of the frame and a carbon depressing roller I4 is journalled on a cross-rod 85 which extends through guide slots 16 provided In using the device the stationery strips and i8 are interleaved with the carbon strip 24, as indicated in Fig. '2, and led around the platen into typing position. As the advanced form is typed in, the stationery and carbon gradually advance to the position indicated in Fig. 3 by means of the ordinary platen roll feed mechanism. At this point, the platen feed mechanism is released by the hand lever 6 and the advanced ends of the stationery are gripped slightly above the end of the'interleaved carbon strip by one hand of the operator. With the other hand the operator depresses the finger piece 3| as far as possible, which causes the roller M to form a loop in the carbon strip and retract it into the succeeding set of forms. The advanced and completed set of forms may then be detached along the line of weakening 26,- the presser lever 8 operated to throw the presser mechanism back into operation, and the machine is again ready for use. When the operator releases the finger piece 3|, the spring 32 will raise the roller M to its uppermost position leaving a loose loop of carbon as indicated in Fig. 2. These operations'may be repeated until the carbon becomes worn and it is desired to feed fresh carbon. To accomplish this the finger nut 23 is released to permit rotation of the carbon roll and permit a desired fresh length to be advanced around the platen A The operator may then tear off a length of carbon after detaching the form along the line of weakening 26, and by gripping the ends of the forms separately and backing up the carbon supply roll by means of the knob 25, the carbon may be retracted sufiiciently back of the ends of the stationery strips to facilitate obtaining a grip. The stationery may be realigned by reference to the perforations 21. The presser mechanism is then permitted to grip the newly loaded set of forms against the platen roll and byv operating the finger piece 3|, a proper length of fresh carbon will be withdrawn from the roll. After the finger nut 23 is tightened, the device is again ready for regular operation.

Thus it will be understood that a very simple, light and easily operable mechanism is provided which enables the operator to retract the carbon exactly one form length without dimculty or loss of time. As the roller I4 forms a loop in the strip 24, the carbon will be retracted a distance equal to about twice the travel of the retracting roller.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine adapted to fill in forms on continuous-form stationery strips, a carbon retracting device comprising: a. frame; a strip guide in said frame; a carbon supply roll mounted in said frame from which a carbon strip may be led forwardly over said guide in interleaved relation with said strips; and manually operable means adjacent to said guide for forming a loop in said carbon strip and retracting its end portion a form length into the succeeding set of forms comprising a roller journalled in a pairof arms provided with a spring normally urging said .roller upwardly out of the bottom of the carbon loop.

2. A device as specified in claim 1, in which the carbon supply roll is journalled in said frame and is equipped with releasable gripping means to prevent fresh carbon from being withdrawn from the roll while the strip is being retracted within the forms.

3., In a typewriter equipped with a shiftable carriage having a rotatable platen around which continuous stationery strips may be led from the rear, a carbon holding attachment comprising: a frame mounted on said carriage; a carbon supply roll journalled in said frame and provided with means to prevent rotation therein; a pair of guide rolls journalled in the upper part of said frame under which one stationery strip may be led and over which another stationery strip and a carbon strip extending from the supply roll may be led to the platen; a depressible roller in said frame disposed over the carbon strip and between said guide rolls; a spring urging said roller upwardly and means for depressing said roller to form a loop in said carbon strip and retract its advance end from the ends of said stationery strips.

4. A device as specified in claim 3, in which the frame is provided with slots between the guide rolls and the roller is guided by said slots; the depressing means comprises a pair of oscillating arms adapted to engage and depress said roller;

and the spring urges the arms upwardly with the roller.

5. A device as specified in claim 3, in which the frame is provided with guide slots between guide rolls for receiving and guiding the ends of the roller; the depressing means comprises a manually operable rock shaft provided with a pair of forwardly extending arms making lost motion connections with the ends of said roller; and the spring is coiled on said rock shaft so as to urge the arms upwardly with the roller.

JOHN E. QEIU'I'H. 

